Naughty Android app steals data from "pirates"

Sometimes it seems as if everyone is trying to rain on Google's Android parade - including naughty cyber criminals.

Yes, Microsoft might be the best placed to give Google a few pointers about the sobering realities that come with the market leader tag.

The rapid rise of the Android OS (expected to grab first position among smart phones by end of 2011) is coming face to face with what every mass market software maker has to contend with - malware.

The latest? Malware masquerading as a cracked and free copy of a legitimate Android app.

Identified as "Android.Walkinwat" by Symantec, the malware steals confidential data and attempts to send it to an external server. It also scans smartphone phone books and sends an embarrassing SMS to every phone number.

The typo-strewn message is a tongue in cheek text, boasting of downloading an extremely cheap, malware-ridden app to avoid paying for the legitimate program.

Unlike the real app (known as Walk and Text), the malicious software is not available on Android Market, but rather, on third party file sharing websites in Asia and North America.

The original Walk and Text goes for $1.53 on the Android Market and uses a smartphone's camera to allow one to see what is ahead of them as they text.

The fake app is typically listed on file sharing sites as version 1.3.7 - yet there is no such version for the legitimate Walk and Text app.